On the road again...

Drive...eat....drive...shop....drive...sleep.....start the pattern again. I cannot imagine what it must feel like for those who frequently do road trips. I just don't think it's in me. Or maybe it's the fact that I refuse to drive stick shift....so therefore imprisoning myself to the passenger seat for hours on end. Why do I do this to myself?

This past week we have been a bit "off schedule" for lack of a better phrase. Yet the glorious thing about this lack of routine has been the spontaneity of our lunch/dinner dates with good friends! Good ol' facebook has allowed us to reconnect with both old and new friends in our college area. What a nostaligic time! My brother and sister are also now living in the area so they graciously allowed us to crash at their place for a couple nights while we hit the ground running to meet up with old memories.

We had forgotten how temperamental the Lynchburg weather is. One minute it was a gorgeous sunny day and then BAM! Out of no where, it was pouring down rain so hard that picnic umbrellas were flying across parking lots! Luckily we were safely inside a coffee shop to enjoy the storm.

We were so privileged to see our good friend Benny at our Alma Mater! He is taking some doctorate classes for the next two weeks, so we were able to show him around a bit and take him out for dinner :).

I sure do miss the beauty of Liberty's campus.

Our next destination to Hilton head South Carolina came a bit quicker than expected. Dave's grandma accidentally fell leaving her hip broken with immediate surgery. Good thing we were only 8 hours away and could come down to see her! She is doing well and is in good spirits (Gram, you always are!), yet prayers for her continued healing and recovery would be appreciated.

New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, and then Florida on Friday! We are so excited to just sit and veg on the beach for an entire week. We can rest our weary traveling bodies so that we have the energy to drive back UP the coast! But hey, we get to see my best friend from college on the way back up! Monica, we're almost there!

Our Canoe Adventure

I have officially come to the realization of how out of shape I am. While yes, a round trip canoe adventure of roughly 22 miles will do that to you, I am still more tired than I should be. Dave and I decided to be adventurous and go for a three day canoe trip. His family has done this before, so it was neat to go back and see where some of his traditions took place.

We set off on on our trip on a beautiful Monday afternoon (we got a late start). We were so excited about taking our first trip together! We had heard that people have made this trip in 4-5ish hours, so we were making goals of how we could beat their time.

Like I said, it was a GORGEOUS day! The water was placid, it wasn't too hot, and the breeze was light. Boy, were we ever blessed. That is....until we actually got to our desired campsite...

This "canoe carrier" was a life-saver. Without it we would have had to portage for about 1/4 mile by lugging that huge thing...and our dongxi (stuff).

And then there is the floating island that decided to drift its way into blocking all passageways. Let's just say we were glad that our feet didn't get stuck in that spongy stuff as we were trying to lug it over. I think Dave almost lost his shoe!

So after 3 1/2 hours, we arrived at the camp site that Dave was hoping for (we beat their time!). Yet our energy started depleting once we discovered that someone already took that camp site. And then the next one....and the next....and the next. It was now around 7:00 and our spirits were low, our arms were tired, and we needed a place to unpack before the night came. Luckily it was the 2nd longest day of the year so we were good on the light. We had to canoe for another 3 miles before we actually found an open campsite. What a relief!

The next day we were blessed with yet another gorgeous day! We decided to pack up our stuff and move to a campsite with a better view (after we had a little more positive energy to look some more). Most of the day was spent lounging in the sun, reading, swimming, hiking, and exploring. We were eatin' up every minute of it!

It just so happened that our campsite had a ton of dragonflies. While they were quite friendly and didn't bother us much, you would be laying there and then all of a sudden look at yourself to find about four just chillin' on your stomach!
For dinner we decided to make a bit of everything. Hobo stew, potatoes, baked beans, and then Ramen (to nibble on for those whose hungry stomachs couldn't wait any longer).
It was sad to hear the rain hitting the tent the next morning, but we couldn't help but be so grateful for the weather we did get to enjoy the previous days. And when the rains came, they didn't go away. We canoed with the winds and the rains for the next 4 1/2 hours. Good thing we came prepared with the rain gear, or that could have been one miserable trip home.

Well, now it's two days later and I am still sore. It's a good sore though. Maybe I can do something to maintain these new muscles I have acquired ;)

The dog who wouldn't swim...

or go near the floating dock or even eat his food before you prayed with him. Who knew that even dogs can have such distinctive quirks!?! This weekend Dave's friend brought his dog "Macguyver" to come and join along in the fun. His dog had so many funny antics, yet the most noticeable one was his fear with water. He would not even step close to the floating dock...even with a trail of dog treats leading the way!

Here we are making a trail for him to even get close to the dock. Wish you could see his shaking legs...poor dog.

Adam finally gave up on him and just threw him in the water....of course not without a fight.

"Hey wait, maybe I do like this!" Even though he never went back in...

This was where we sat all day long. Relaxing huh?

And to think that summer has only just begun!

Burgers N' Smores

The other night, one of Dave's good friends Adam and his girlfriend Kristen came up for the weekend to visit. What a good time! After taking long guide boat rides and basking in the sun, we decided it was time to go for a cook out. What fun to have to go for a boat ride just to get there!

A sure sign of teamwork: the girls prepare the burgers while the guys cook them. Or intensely observe.

Look close. Do you see what this s'more is made of? Yep! Reese's! Let's just say "delicious" is an understatement.

The next time Dave and I will have a cookout like this will be on our canoe trip coming up. Looking forward to posting about that next!

Our Voyage to Relaxation

Dave and I have spent so many days at his cabin/camp by the lake. It is truly a great escape. An escape that is more than just from civilization, but from life itself. I have yet to find another place that allows me to devour an entire book in just one day.

We have enjoyed the investment his family has built over the years to make their cabin a place of tradition and memories. I truly desire their knack for repairing and reusing things to keep them for years to come. Thankfully because of this, they have a few pieces of "water transportation" for us to enjoy. Canoes, guide boats and motor boats were our much beloved toys. For the first couple of days, it seemed as though we only used their boats as a means to take us out in the middle of nowhere to just sit and take in the sun...or our books. But hey, once more people came up to visit we took some fun rides.

And then when the night came, we couldn't help but bask in the beauty of the sunset. Just look at that! Simply gorgeous!

And moose tracks....yum! That ice cream box looked as though a dog had been digging in it. We were searching for those peanut butter pieces ;)

Artistic Rebellion

Freedom of Speech. Personal Rights. Making a statement. Or that's what he calls it.

Driving down the road through Potsdam, you can't help but notice the public display of urinals, potted toilets, vibrant paint, and a clothesline of female undergarments. Apparently, the man who owns this property was frustrated with the zoning laws that forbid him to build a Dunkin' Donuts on this corner. So instead of subtly receiving the rejected proposal, he decided to have his own little public rebellion...or artistic rebellion if you will. If his goal was getting the town to "finally" notice his lot, he most definitely succeeded.

"Endangered Species"...not sure what that means but hey, it sure does make people stop and wonder, right?

A side view of the lawn with the brightly painted garage in the background.

If you look close enough, you can see the urinal planted right in the middle!

What if everyone responded this way to basic rejection? What an interesting world we would have!

Where does your garden grow?

I have greatly enjoyed visiting Dave's family in New York. Life here is just so...well I don't know...peaceful! I feel as though I actually have time to think, get away, and enjoy the simple things. The other night after we were all winding down after dinner, I went out back to see what his mom was up to. I just had to smile as I saw her humming away as she watered their garden. It was one of those moments where you stop, tilt your head, and put your hand on your chest as you take in a sweet moment. I just stood there admiring her nurturing spirit I couldn't help but take a few pictures of her (their) growing garden.

Tomatoes

Beans...I think...

Look at the lettuce all ready to be picked!

Broccoli

Maybe (hopefully), we can have a garden like this someday....

My man and his projects...

I love it when I see my man in power tool heaven. He is just so adorable...of course in the most "manly" way possible. The moment we arrived in New York, he began creating an endless list of projects for himself from sanding and repainting furniture to cutting down trees and stocking firewood. Anything to use the beloved power tools. I just sit there and eat it up as I gawk at his abilities. Every now and then I am able to help catch a branch that falls or take a ride in one of his mega lift things. Even after almost 5 years of knowing him, there is still so much that I find that David Evans can do. Incredible.

The first thing he wanted to do was mow the grass in his family's new lawn mower. He was lovin' every minute of it!

When he rented out the "mega-lifter" (at least that's what I call it), I was able to go for a ride!

"Woah! This thing sure does go high!"

This chain saw sure did make him look quite masculine. With a mixture of the sheer look of it and the sound was a bit....well....intense.

And here I am, his faithful helper, catching the humongous branches that he dropped!

It has been such a relaxing couple of days already. From sleeping in late to catching up on reading, to sitting outside while my man conquers the world (aka his backyard) have been a wonderful vacation.